1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detection system for a toilet unit for use in supine position whereby a bed-ridden patient and/or an aged person can treat his urination and defecation in a supine position without someone else's assistance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various diapers and equipment have been devised in the prior art whereby bed-ridden patients and/or aged people can urinate and defecate and treat the urination and defecation in a supine position without any assistance from others. For examples, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a urination and defecation treating body of a substantially L-shape as seen from the side is provided with a stool detection sensor and various nozzles.
Referring to this technique, when the patient urinates and defecates, he mounts his haunch on the urination and defecation treating body while holding tight an upright section of the urination and defecation treating body in the crotch of his legs. After defecation, the stools detection sensor consisting of a proximity sensor detects the stools to automatically cause wash water to spout through various nozzles, thereby washing not only the private parts, but also the inside of the urination and defecation treating body. The stools are then discharged to the outside through a waste suction hose. In this manner, the defecation treatment of the bed-ridden patients can be performed automatically.
Patent Document 2 discloses an automatic treating device for defecation comprising a diaper-shaped casing of a substantially L-shape with a box type structure which is long in the longitudinal direction, a plurality of sensors for detecting excretory substances, a plurality of nozzles for injecting wash water to the excretory substances to perform predetermined washing, and a diaper frame in which various nozzles are installed. The plurality of nozzles consecutively installed on the diaper-shaped casing comprises an anal nozzle for washing the anal area, a bidet nozzle for washing the private parts, a buttocks nozzle for washing the buttocks area, and a stool nozzle for crushing urination and defecation material and discharging these to the outside. Each nozzle is also provided with a function for drying the buttocks and private parts. Each sensor comprises a stool detection sensor for detecting the discharged stools and a urine detection sensor for detecting the discharged urine.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8-322868    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-209168
The automatic treating device for defecation described above is provided with detection systems for conducting detection using the stool detecting sensor and the urine detecting sensor to conduct a predetermined treatment, but these detection systems have the following problems. First, in the case where washing is conducted by emitting wash water to the excretory substances within the diaper-shaped casing, there is a worry that water level within the diaper-shaped casing rises abnormally and water leaks out of the upper edge section of the diaper-shaped casing to wet a patient, a mattress and the like. Second, in the case where the buttocks of the patient are brought into close contact with a contact edge section of the diaper-shaped casing to wash the buttocks and private parts of the patient using each nozzle, once the buttocks of the patient are spaced from the diaper-shaped casing, there is a worry that wash water of each nozzle scatters on the mattress and the like through such a space to wet the mattress.